THE VAIN JACKDAW AND HIS BORROWED FEATHERS

[51] A JACKDAW chanced to fly
over the garden of the King's
palace. There he saw with much
wonder and envy a flock of royal
Peacocks in all the glory of their
splendid plumage.

Now the black Jackdaw was
not a very handsome bird, nor
very refined in manner. Yet he
imagined that all he needed to
make himself fit for the society
of the Peacocks was a dress like
theirs. So he picked up some
castoff feathers of the Peacocks
and stuck them among his own
black plumes.

Dressed in his borrowed
finery he strutted loftily among
the birds of his own kind. Then
he flew down into the garden
among the Peacocks. But they
soon saw who he was. Angry at
the cheat, they 'flew at him,
plucking away the borrowed
feathers and also some of his own.

The poor Jackdaw returned
sadly to his former companions.
There another unpleasant sur
prise awaited him. They had not
forgotten his superior airs toward
them, and, to punish him, they
drove him away with a rain of
pecks and jeers.

Borrowed feathers do not make fine birds.

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